Elball: Rising Stars - A Story of Beginnings
by ThatCidGuy
Summary: What does it take to make it to the big leagues? Find out how Elsword and Chung fight there way out of the Junior League to make a name for themselves and become lottery picks in the draft.
1. Characters & Teams

**Rising Stars: An Elball story of beginnings**

 **Characters:**

Elsword: 13 years old – a young prospect from Ruben who currently aspires to be the greatest Elball attacker in history… but his first goal is to become better than his elder sister Elesis, who is one of the greatest forwards in all of Velder.

Prince Seiker (Chung): 13 years old – a child prodigy from Hamel who is a master of defense on the field. Chung is a determined worker, and his father Helputt, takes advantage of that to turn him into a glorious hero for the people of Hamel.

Lowe: 17 years old – An aspiring Elball player who is going straight into the draft soon as a highly-valued pick. He isn't too fond of Elsword's uprising however.

Helputt Seiker: 41 years old – Once a famous Elball player known as the Hamel Guardians' White Colossus, but is now the team's head coach. Helputt however still thinks he plays the game and takes it hard on his players, and even more so on his son.

Altocross: (OC… sort of. Canon, but not by name. Mentioned in Elsword's background) 45 years old – A Velder Kingdom royal who mentored Elsword in the art of Elball alongside Elesis until her departure for Velder. He was previously a legendary player for the Ruben Scouts until his performance decreased significantly with age. He settled down in a town nearby Ruben to coach the Ruben Red Knights.

Anne: 21 years old – Owner of a local sporting goods shop in Ruben, she is particularly obsessed with Elball and her favorite player is secretly Banthus, who plays for the Rubens Scouts' number 1 rival team, the Elder Mercenaries.

Priscilla Seiker: (OC) 35 years old – Chung's mother and the obvious contrast to Helputt. She's regarded as one of Fluone's most inspirational women. Her beauty, knowledge, and will are almost unparalleled.

Horatio: 67 years old – The Hamel Lakers head coach, who is close friends with Helputt and previously played for and coached the Guardians until he came to the realization that he must teach the newer generation of Elballers.

Steel: 13 years old – The daughter of Iron Anvil Sdeing, an Elball blacksmith that plays for the Lanox Steelers. She is the opposite of Chung in many ways.

Aisha: (Mentioned) 15 years old – The successor to a powerful mage. She was initially supposed be the genius to take the WEL by storm, but lost her powers. Over the course of 2 years she finally had the capacity to compete at a high level, remarkable for her age. Although arrogant, she can at least back it up.

Rena: (Mentioned) Age Unknown – An elf that knows more than she presents. Her intentions in the world of Elball have far more priority over fame and fortune. She is a stark competitor and will not stop at nothing to achieve success, despite her pleasant aura.

Elesis: (Mentioned) 16 years old – The youngest player in history to be drafted into professional Elball at the age of 13. With seemingly no weaknesses, it's expected of Elsword to show the same traits.

Add: (Mentioned) 16 years old – A mysterious Elball genius from the future.

Leo: (OC, Mentioned) 17 years old – The Hamel Lakers only strictly offensive player in their starting lineup. He generally doesn't have to do much work to score as the Lakers defense and support are top notch.

Lowe's friends (OC's, Mentioned): Various Ages – Kids who also play Elball with Lowe and Elsword. Among them are Gunnar and Maverick.

Guest Characters with little importance in this story: Rod Ross, William Phoru, Dekal, Yuno, Nono, Herbaon, Raven, Seris, Aren.

 **Known Elball teams used:**

Elball Junior League:

Ruben Red Knights

Besma Rockies

Hamel Lakers

Lanox Steelers

 **World Elball League teams used:**

Ruben Scouts (Lurensia)

Hamel Guardians (Fluone)

Lanox Blazers (Fluone)

Underworld Usurpers (Fluone)

Kalluso Chiefs (Fluone)

Elder Mercenaries (Lurensia)

Fahrmann Monks (Fluone)

Altera Nasods (Lurensia)

Velder Captains (Lurensia)


	2. Chapter 1: Elsword

**Chapter 1: Elsword**

"I wish I was there right now…" Elsword sighs as he watches Elysion's annual Draft Champions program, sponsored by the El Masters.

"For the 1st draft pick of the night… the Elder Mercenaries select… Add!" The Television announcer said. The white-haired genius stepped up to the stage and held up his Elball Jersey and flashed his devious grin at the camera.

"Man… I've had it with this," Elsword complained. He turned off the program and collapsed onto his bed. "How did some punk like that get the first pick? And he's 16… the same age as my sister…"

Elsword remembered the time where he saw Elesis off as she left for Velder to join the Captains. It was a sad day, considering Elsword now had incredibly high expectations to meet. There was no slacking off for him. If Elsword was to make it big he'll have to make it into the league at 13 years old or younger. Unfortunately, Elsword now 12 years old, must wait until next season. If he doesn't make the league then, all of his hard work in the last 2 years will mean nothing.

A frustrated Elsword leaves his drab apartment shortly after the television program to hit the cozy town of Ruben, home of the El tree, to practice Elball on the local training field. On the way to the training field, he was stopped by Anne.

"Hey Elsword! Why the long face?" Anne asked. She was concerned for the boy, as she was the only mother figure for him after Elesis left.

"Nothin', don't worry about it." Elsword groaned.

"Come on Elsword, you expect me to believe that? Is it about Elball? How did you guys do this year anyway?" Anne pestered.

"I don't really want to talk about it – and just so you know we made it to nationals… and lost." Elsword shook his head. His school team, the Ruben Red Knights played the other best EJL (Elball Junior League) team in Lurensia, the Besma Rockies, last week was humiliated 7-1. The one point for the Red Knights was by Elsword within the first 5 minutes of the match.

"Oh… sorry to hear that. I bet that's only a small part of your problems. I'll stay out of your way." Anne stepped aside and let Elsword trudge on his way. Before he was too far gone, Anne shouted, "Oh Elsword, I forgot to tell you that Altocross came by, he might be looking for you!"

Elsword looked back briefly and continued to walk off. He didn't want to think about what Altocross had to say to him. The two haven't spoken since nationals. Elsword automatically assumed Altocross wasn't too happy about his performance, and quite frankly, he wasn't too happy either.

Elsword made it to the field and it was surprisingly empty, which is quite strange at midday. Elsword thought it might be because everyone was watching the draft. Elsword summoned a practice El crystal and started smacking it around with his trademark great sword. He worked on a few shots and used some basic actives and special actives to keep the momentum up. Elsword's playstyle is based on slow, but heavy hits. There is nothing too flashy about his offense, but it gets the job done. He can launch the ball from one side of the field to the other without much effort, a style previously used by Altocross.

Elsword practiced until nightfall and decided to call it a day. Before Elsword could pack up, someone shouted, "Hey!" Elsword turned to see that is was Lowe, followed by his friends. The pack approached Elsword and blocked his path.

"What do you guys want?" Elsword asked. He didn't want to stick around and chat.

"Oh, we were just worried about a little kid like you out here at night all by yourself. If we didn't show up, the monsters would've gotten you!" Lowe teased. His friends followed with laughter

"Making fun of me cause I'm small huh?"

"Oh no, we really care about you – we'll walk you home if you'd like, even hold your hand. We always look out for our rookies." Lowe was really pushing it now.

"What did you just – Rookie? I've been here practicing! Something you all should be doing for next season!" Elsword snapped.

"We aren't worried about practice, remember we're bigger, stronger, and heathier than you."

"Oh yeah? Then why did we lose nationals? If you had passed the ball more and played defense we would've scored more points!" Elsword cried.

"We lost because you got too cocky out there!" Lowe argued.

"Says the tough guy who's been underperforming for the entire post-season!"

Lowe leaned in closer to Elsword, "You sound pretty tough yourself Elbrat, why don't I show you how to use a sword?" Lowe threatened.

"Bring it on!" Elsword grabbed his sword.

"I'll wipe that look off of your face!"

"That's enough!" Shouted a voice from afar. Elsword, Lowe, and crew yielded their squabble at the sight of Altocross who stormed down the field to their location. Altocross scowled and said, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Nothing, I was just leaving…" Elsword began to run off.

"Elsword!" Altocross called out, but Elsword kept on running.

Altocross turned to Lowe and company, "You were picking on him again, weren't you?"

"We were just having a little fun, Cross." Lowe tried to play if off with a nervous grin.

"Is that so? And if Elsword tells me otherwise, I tell your mother. Then we'll see who will be having fun."

"Whatever… Come on guys." Lowe and his friends wandered off in the field.

Altocross let them go, and chased after Elsword. Altocross searched around town for him, he wasn't at home or anything. Then Altocross remembered Elsword's favorite place to go to end his sorrow, Lake Noahs. Altocross guessed right and found Elsword sitting on an El tree branch overlooking the lake.

"Elsword… wait, we have to talk…" Altocross said while out of breath.

"About what? How much of a failure I am?" Elsword snapped.

"No Elsword… I'm here to congratulate you!"

"No point in congratulations, we lost remember?

"Elsword, sometimes it's not about winning… I know that more than you. The fact that you went out there, played your heart out, and scored one for the fans without showing weakness is commendable in my book."

"It's just that I'm tired of this," Elsword was teary-eyed. "I keep trying and trying, but I feel like I'll never be anything good. I'm too small, too slow… argh!" Elsword sobbed.

"Elsword…" Altocross climbed the tree and sat next to Elsword as he cried.

"I'll never be better than my sister." Elsword sighed.

"Elsword, I know there isn't much I can say, but the only one with expectations right now is yourself. Everyone else, including me is proud of you, even Elesis although she's not around. You're doing extraordinarily well in this game for someone your age. You're taking it so hard on yourself after a loss that it's corrupting your vision. As long as you accept everything for what it is, you'll do well. Do not beat yourself up, because the game will only make it worse." Altocross consoled.

Elsword remained silent for a while. He thought about the important things in life. Elball is just a game, and games are meant to be played to have fun. Elsword wasn't enjoying the game anymore days, and only worried about winning. Elsword concluded his thoughts with a simple, "You're right."

"That's what I like to here. Keep your head up high, Elsword." Altocross smiled at him.

"Thanks, Altocross." Elsword mustered the will to smile.

The two gazed up at the night sky and stared at the moon and stars and suddenly a bright, beautiful comet flashed by.

"Good glory of Ebalon, Elsword did you see that?" Altocross enthused.

"Yeah, and I already made my wish."

On that note, Altocross took Elsword and called it a night. Ever since that day, Elsword started to enjoy Elball much more, and with that, he saw miraculous success in the next season. The Ruben Red Knights would go off to internationals to face the other best EJL team in the world.


	3. Chapter 2: Chung

**Chapter 2: Chung**

"Okay! Good Block! Siege did the trick! Pass! Right there! Finish!" Those were all of the commands the young Chung Seiker called out to his teammates as they played the deciding game in Fluone to see who faces off against the Ruben Red Knights in internationals. Chung's EJL team, the Hamel Lakers, are now playing against the Lanox Steelers, the eternal EJL rivalry.

Chung is a Tank that relies on his sturdy Freiturnier and Destroyer to form a near impenetrable bulwark that absolutely frustrates even the best offenses. The Lanox Steelers however, boast of great offense, especially within their lead attacker, Steely Steel.

The Clock has winded down and the two teams are tied 3-3. The last play of the game began in the Steelers possession. Steel got the first touch of the crystal and slams it across the field with her giant hammer. Lanox's ferocious offense seems to be breaking down the Lakers' midfield defense. However, a Hamel midfield tank shows signs of life and steals the crystal. However, Steel was right there and fought for possession. Chung only stood there on defense, trying to follow the game. He looked back at the goalkeeper who anxious beyond belief. Chung had a feeling that if the crystal were to get by, it would be game over; a feeling that instilled him with unsettling fear.

The goalkeeper winced and panicked, which caused Chung to focus back into the game. The crystal was coming right for them, with Steel leading the charge!

 _"Ah, oh no! I gotta think of something quick!"_ Chung thought. " _We gathered 300mp, it's now or never!_ Aceldama!" Chung shouted. A hail of missiles erupted from him cannon and created an outstretched net. The crystal hit the net sending the crystal flying toward the opponent's goal faster than Steel could even think. A Hamel attacker propelled the momentum further with one last touch and finished the Steelers off. Chung let out a sigh and collapsed with relief.

The Hamel Lakers won 4-3, and are moving on to internationals. Chung was carried off the field as the game's MVP. The crowd and the team cheered his name, but the only one not cheering was his father.

In the locker room, Helputt approached his son and signaled that they needed to talk. Once Chung finished packing everything up after the game he confronted his father.

"Do you know why I called you over here?" Helputt asked. Whenever he says something like that, Chung knows it's going to be a lecture of some sort.

"It's about the game, isn't it?" Chung guessed.

"Now Chung, I think you and the rest of the team did well, but remember there are WEL scouts watching your every move out there," Helputt warned.

"We won the game, what did I do wrong this time?" Chung sulked.

"Now Chung, as I said, you did good, there's nothing wrong with the way you played, it's just that there were clear gaps in your defense."

"But their attackers were good."

"Chung – Listen, I don't care who they have on your team, we worked tirelessly for the perfect defense. Don't get me wrong, I'll have a word with the other tanks, but we really need to talk about the last play from today."

Chung nodded, but had an aura of disbelief. Chung knows that Helputt only wants him to do well in Elball so that he joins the WEL (World Elball League).

"Okay so… The crystal was heading straight passed you, and into the back of our net. You used Aceldama, and interesting choice, albeit a terrible one."

"here we go…"

"Chung this is imperative for your success!" Helputt thundered. Chung took frightened step away from him. "Sorry… I just wanted to say that, Aceldama is a huge risk. If Leo wasn't there to finish the shot or if one of those Lanox kids got to the crystal you would've wasted all of our available mana, and If they got the crystal back, they could've used a hyperactive."

"Dad, what was I supposed to do?" Chung whined.

"The shot from their Attacker was straight forward, a simple Aiming Shot would've thrown it off course and straight into the hands of our support kids. Remember what I keep telling you, win at all costs, but be mindful of logical decisions."

Chung looked down when thinking about his flaw.

"Chung, look at me. I know you're capable of doing an Aiming Shot, we've practiced that skill for hours. I think you were distracted so you panicked. Do you mind telling me what happened out there? And don't lie to me."

"I-It's just that… everyone looked so afraid, and I was too."

"Chung, you are a Seiker, you come from a line of great Elball defenders. What could you possibly fear?"

"And now you're going to tell me how worthless I am…"

"There's no need to doubt yourself, you are not worthless to me."

"How am I supposed to feel confident when everything I do is wrong?"

"I never said you've done anything wrong, I just want you to learn, dammit!" Helputt blustered.

Chung stood by stunned by his voice, not knowing whether to cry or yell back. Helputt's iron howling attracted the attention of passersby. Some concerned adults tried approaching them but Helputt scared them off with a fierce look.

Helputt let out a deep breath decided to change the subject, "You should get going, your mother is waiting for you and the coach drivers probably have the mounts ready by now… and I'll be home later, just in time for dinner."

Helputt walked away from Chung and wandered off elsewhere for some alone time. Chung on the other hand silently made him way outside of the stadium. He was looking down the entire time, not trying to make eye contact with anyone. That is until he accidentally ran into his defeated opponent, Steel.

"Hey watch it!" Steel exclaimed as she fell over from Chung's impact.

"Ah, I'm so sorry." Chung gasped as he helped her up.

Steel towered over Chung, yet Chung was told Steel and her family were dwarves. Chung felt slightly intimidated, but Steel's modest and flustered visage made him awkwardly relaxed.

"Wow you're pretty strong if you can pick me up that easily!"

"Oh – uh… yeah than-ˮ

"It seems I underestimated you. If you're that strong, you'll definitely win internationals!"

"Really?" Chung's face lit up. A response like that from a tough opponent must mean Helputt was overreacting.

"Yeah! You're pretty good! Anyway, I gotta go, my dad is over there. Good luck at internationals!" Steel waved and quickly scurried off toward her behemoth of a dad, before Chung could even say anything.

Chung examined the two before they departed. They argued with each other and had a good laugh right after. This relationship only reminded him of Helputt. Helputt used to be easy going, but ever since Chung joined the EJL, he's been much more overprotective. Unlike Helputt, the legendary Iron Anvil Sdeing, doesn't seem to be controlling his child's life.

Chung's trance was broken by his mother's soothing voice. She called him over and he hopped into the stage coach, carried by two ice dragons. The family, without Helputt flew to Seiker Palace, a place some would only dream of calling home.

The Seiker family had a silent dinner, which is uncharacteristic from a group of people who can severely injure people with their voices. Priscilla tried to offer conversation, however neither Chung nor Helputt would bite. After dinner, Chung retreated to his room to read over Elball strategies. His focus was averted when he overheard his mother and father arguing. He couldn't help but listen because he thought it was about him. Chung crept out of his room to hear them better.

"– You yelled at him, didn't you?" Priscilla asked.

"I was trying to reason with him, but you know how he gets when I talk to him about the game." Helputt said, trying to downplay his actions.

"Helputt, you shouldn't be so hard on him all the time. He's doing his best. You know he can't do everything, he's still just a boy," Priscilla advised.

"Yeah… you're right. It's just that I'm concerned for his future. After all, Rod Ross told me that he wants Chung to sign up for the draft after the season, regardless of how well he does in the post season. Now that our little boy has made it to internationals, there's going to be even more pressure on him."

"Rod Ross? Helputt, how come I didn't know about this? Does he know? What about Horatio?"

"No, I wanted to leave it a secret until after the post-season ends. Besides Horatio would've probably guessed this would happen without me telling him."

"But you left it a secret from me too?"

"Honey, I didn't want us all to think about the draft when he's still playing for the EJL."

"What makes Rod Ross think he's capable of playing professionally? He has several years left to enjoy his youth. Rod Ross wants to throw him out to the wolves with players that are two times his age."

"I think he's ready… He's the best damn thing I've seen out of the Lakers. Leo only gets most of the credit because he knows how to hit a shot on target when it's placed directly front of him. And I wouldn't be so sure the wolves are out to get him, after all, everyone in Hamel and Resiam is calling him the White Wolf. Have some faith." Helputt said in hopes to sway Priscilla. However, she just crossed her arms, turned away from him and scoffed.

"If you're so concerned for his future in Elball, talk to him about the draft. And you should do it now, he's right over there." Priscilla pointed to Chung who was leaning over the side of a wall.

"What?" Helputt turned to Chung and approached him.

"I heard everything, Dad. And I'll tell you what I think… after internationals." Chung promised.

Chung saw his parents off for the night and crawled back into his room. Not even Chung himself knew if he was ready for the draft. He thought someone like him would be out of place. A 13-year-old amongst 17-18 year-olds competing for spots on the world's greatest Elball teams. Chung was confident he would do well for internationals based on Steel's remark, but he still had no idea what to expect from the Ruben Red Knights, a team he's never played against before. Chung would prepare for internationals, and strangely didn't receive any feedback from his father along the way.


	4. Chapter 3: EJL Championship

**Chapter 3: The EJL International Championship Game**

Fans of the EJL around the world have all gathered to witness the glorious annual championship match set within the beautiful Atlas Station Stadium en route to Elysion. There were WEL scouts everywhere, looking out for the next best thing in the game. The stadium was comparable to that of WEL match, where the stakes are high and the pressure is on.

In the EJL and WEL Championships, there is no home court. The EJL championship game is always played in Atlas Station Stadium, and the WEL competes in the Elysion Heavenly Gardens. The matches are broadcasted via Nasod technology through a streaming service known as Nonstop Elball, where there is 24-hour coverage of anything related to the sport; players, coaches, fans, merchandise, drama, and the game itself.

The Atlas Station Stadium was an immaculate architectural icon. Although it wasn't as beautiful as the Elysion Gardens Stadium, the high-tech atmosphere seemed like a fantasy to every tourist in Elrios. Everything about the arena was decked out to accommodate everything related to Elball. The Stadium is the center piece of Atlas City, a wondrous phenomenon in the sky, safeguarded by the pinnacle of Nasod security.

From far away, the Ruben Red Knights were transported by airship, a method of travel underutilized in Lurensia unless traveling to Altera. The Red Knights are unexpected underdogs in this series, as they haven't made it to the championship game since Altocross was a young lad. The Lakers on the other hand will be working on back to back titles tonight, as they defeated the Besma Rockies in the previous season.

In preparation of the match, each respective team is to give a scouting report to strategize for the game. Altocross debriefed the Red Knights on their never before seen opponent, the Hamel Lakers.

"Alright, tonight we're playing the best defensive EJL team in the world. Very similar to Hamel's professional team, the Hamel Guardians, who have the 2nd highest win rate in the WEL next to the Velder Captains. You would think that the level of skill has been passed down, which is why we must be mindful of how they play defense. So, we're going to go over some things that the EJL has recorded," Altocross explained.

Altocross brought out a screen and popped in some tapes to review. He made sure everyone in the room was paying attention. Elsword for example was the most attentive, although his impatience was noticeable. Elsword just wants to go out there and give it his all, regardless of what the other team has in store.

"They're using a 1-4-5 formation –ˮ

"Ha what? Only one forward and they made it this far? They can't be serious?" Lowe cut Altocross off to add his two cents.

"Yes, which will make scoring difficult for us. They can afford to have only one forward because of their defense and support are top notch. We need to watch out for him, because we don't want to be fiddling around with their support guys and leave him wide open." Altocross scanned for a specific part in the video clip showcasing Hamel's offense. "As you can see right here, 2 of the 4 support guys started the run, and passed it back and forth. The other team's tanks tried to steal the crystal, without realizing that they let the Lakers forward move up. They slash the crystal ahead of the forward and he finishes it. I don't want any of our tanks tonight to make that same mistake."

"Heh one guy won't be a problem for us," One Red Knight said.

"I sure as hell hope not," Altocross replied.

Altocross popped in another clip. This time it was showcasing Hamel's defense.

"This team is a strange case because they are not generally an issue on offense. Statistics show that although they went undefeated in their division this season, all of those were low scoring games aside from their national's game a while back. They've won 9 games in a row without the opposing team scoring any points. Although their defense as a whole is respectable, they have a star among their ranks."

Altocross showed a few clips highlighting Hamel's White Wolf, Chung in action. Chung was defending near impossible shots and setting up perfect counterattacks.

"Who is that kid, and what's he wearing?" Elsword asked as he observed the tank in heavy armor.

"That is Chung Seiker, son of the legendary White Collosus. He's wearing a heavy transformable armor called a Freiturnier, and he wields a cannon called a Destroyer, just like his father." Altocross introduced.

"Son of a legend huh? Can't wait to see how he performs." Elsword enthused.

"Heh, I hope he chokes!" A Red Knight shouted, causing some of the other Knights to laugh. Elsword was not amused however, this could be the opponent he needs to propel his career forward.

In the Lakers meeting, Horatio pointed out the weaknesses of the Red Knights offense.

"I've never seen so many holes in an offensive team before. This might be the easiest finals match up we've ever had. They've got 4 guys up front, and they're probably the most dysfunctional attackers I've ever seen in my 50 years of playing the sport. They've got a good kid up front named Elsword, but his shots are predictable. I expect you tanks to get a good read on him. As for the other 3, if they manage to score, it's out of pure dumb luck." Horatio was known for belittling his opponents to instill confidence in his team, whether the opposing team are as bad as he says they are. He is admired all over Hamel for his mastery in his craft and his stunning physique, but Horatio thinks there is still work to be done.

"What about their defense?" Chung asked.

"Chung, you're worried about _their_ defense? Nonexistent; Offensive support will just pass it to Leo and score. If Leo can't score, offensive support will. Plain and simple. I think you should be focusing on their 4 attackers."

For the rest of the day, Chung only thought of the attackers and mainly Elsword who is also a young star. Chung knew he couldn't show weakness here. Skillfully breaking down Elsword's vicious offense would prove to his father that he has learned from his mistakes.

At sunset, the championship game was about to begin. Players will be practicing during the EJL championship pre-show, hosted by everyone's favorite idols Yuno and Nono. Once the pre-show ends, the Elball international anthem is recited. This season, Herbaon shall grace everyone with his voice in front of the Elysion philharmonic orchestra.

 _O' El, O' El_

 _You bless us with might_

 _O' El, O' El_

 _Through Elball we fight_

 _O' El, O El_

 _Our Lady is wise_

 _O' El, O' El_

 _Only heroes shall rise_

 _[Repeat]_

 _The world… the world…_

 _Was corrupted with bloodshed and war_

 _Until… until…_

 _El's light shone through the sky_

 _The El was misunderstood_

 _But we all knew it was good_

 _With the El crystal in hand_

 _This would settle dispute in the land_

 _The brave will play our sport_

 _For the El Lady's support_

 _Our hatred and brutal strife_

 _Shall be changed into light_

 _O' El, O El_

 _You bless us with might_

 _O' El, O' El_

 _Through Elball we fight_

 _O' El, O' El_

 _Our Lady is Wise_

 _O' El, O' El_

 _Only Heroes shall rise_

 _[Repeat]_

 _[Lead harmonizes the hook one last time]_

The two teams walk off into the respective positions on the Elball field. Elsword had his eyes on the crystal that has yet be released. Chung kept an eye out for the attackers and tried to block out all of the noise in the stadium. The referee, William Phoru, began the countdown for the game to begin. Once the countdown was finished, the crystal was dropped into the field.

Red Knights got possession first as Elsword flew right by Leo. The Lakers defensive support however slowed down Elsword's offense forcing him to pass the crystal. Elsword passed it to Lowe, who seemingly appeared to be open, but the attempt failed as a Lakers defender anticipated the move and blocked the shot. With the crystal in the Lakers possession, they tried passing it to Leo. Leo finessed the strike with his Elball weapon of choice, the blade. The signature shot has been dubbed the "Shawku Weivu," which is based on a technique used by his favorite professional player, Raven, who currently plays for the Velder Captains. Unlike Raven's move, Leo's Shawku Weivu costs no MP but instead has a substantial cooldown. Leo's shot launches the crystal at lightning fast speed. The crystal created afterimages which threw off the Red Knight's defense and sank the crystal into the goal post. And just like that, The Lakers were up 1-0.

"Way to go, Elbrat," Lowe snarled.

"Hey you weren't open in the first place," Elsword argued.

The next possession for the Red Knights was a bit more successful. Lowe deployed the Red Knights signature conservative resource management strategy, which involves frequent chip passes that bounce around the four attackers. This way they can build a lot of MP. The Red Knights build enough MP for a special active. Lowe lobbed the crystal to Elsword, who managed to make a run passed the Laker's Defense. Elsword shouted, "Mega Slash," but Hamel's White Wolf basted the crystal away with a precise Aiming Shot.

"Dammit, if you aren't gonna score, I will!" Lowe blustered.

Elsword shook his head and looked at Chung who was as determined as ever. Elsword couldn't help but feel outclassed in every way.

All of the momentum was lost and Leo scored again. The once confident Elsword has gone cold, and the Lakers would eventually figure out the Red Knights offense, making the Red Knights' 4 attackers look like they're playing with a flowchart. The same kinds of things happened repeatedly; the crystal was blasted away by Chung, and Leo would score on almost every chance he gets. This became a routine for the whole first quarter of the match, and eventually the first half. The score was 5-0; something had to change.

Half time took place, and both teams took a rest to watch the half time show. It was a brilliant art performance by the Elysion Dance Crew, underneath the direction of Dekal and his eccentric role players.

As Chung took a seat at the bench, his team cheered for him. Chung was certainly feeling himself as he catalyzed an early boost or morale early in the game. Helputt was seen from the sidelines and his expression was blank. When Chung made eye contact with him, he wasn't so cocky anymore, because he remembered that he shouldn't take it easy now that they're winning.

On the Red Knights side, Altocross tried to remain calm but was holding in his frustration. It was up to him to change something out of the Red Knights playbook to make a comeback.

"Okay… no need to beat around the bush, we're getting our asses handed to us on a silver platter. So, did any of you notice our mistakes as a team?" Altocross asked.

There was an aura of silence coming from the team for a brief moment until Lowe broke out.

"We… no, I'm too weak. Our offense sucks because of me!"

The entire team gasped; Lowe would never say anything like that. Lowe really took it hard on himself because he didn't do better than Elsword at scoring the El Crystal, and became more impulsive with his runs because of the burning desperation to turn the game around. He ended up sinking the team into a hole.

"It ain't that, it's just that their defense is amazing!" A Red Knight admitted.

"But what about our defense? I couldn't block a shot from that Leo kid if my life depended on it. What are they feeding these Hamel kids?" Another Red Knight complained.

"Everyone get a hold of yourselves. I know we're losing, but let's talk about how we can improve. Any ideas?" Not even Altocross knew what to do. Hamel's Defense is perfect and their forward is proving to be more a hassle than before, now that they've started attacking more aggressively after cutting through the Red Knights weak defense.

"I…" Elsword spoke up, "I think they're focusing more on the crystal than us… because… every time that cannon kid steals the ball, he never aims at us, but at a place where he thinks the crystal will be in the next second… an-and that goes the same for their other defenders. So we just gotta throw them off somehow."

The team stared at Elsword waiting for more ideas to come out of him. The team was counting on him now, the youngest player. Unfortunately, Elsword didn't have anything else up his sleeve.

"And that's I know – yeah." Elsword flashed a smile to try and reassure the team that he was correct. However, the Lakers can easily adjust if necessary, they've built their defense from the ground up, not from a passed down playbook.

"Anything else?" Altocross asked.

"I agree with Elsword." Lowe stated.

The rest of the team followed Lowe's statement, because they certainly had nothing to say, so if Elsword's observation proves to be useless, they'll just have to figure out how to deal with a major loss.

"Alright," Altocross paused to think for moment, "Our offense has been far too direct and forward moving. We're going to change or formation to 3-4-3. Do not be afraid to pass it back to any of our support guys. Gunnar, you'll be the other attacking midfielder. We're going to focus more on building mana and looking for openings. Yes, our possessions might be long and time is not our friend, but we need to guarantee that our shots count. I wanna see some 200MPs and 300MPs. And by all means, as soon as Hyperactive cools down, use it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir yes, sir!" The Red Knights chanted.

"Now get out there and show them that the Ruben Red Knights are to be feared!"

The Red Knights had a few moments of resting before resuming the game. Lowe approached Elsword on the field.

"Hey Elsword!" Lowe called.

"What?" Elsword replied sharply. He anticipated that Lowe would try to demoralize him.

"I need to fill you in on our game plan."

"Fill me in on what? I already know everything; the coach went over it."

"Elsword, our coach is a hack. I bet you didn't realize how foolish he sounded in there. Use Hyperactive immediately? Ha – what a joke. I've got a real strategy." Lowe enthused.

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"We get under their skin, and we take out their forward?"

"Huh… You mean…"

"Yes Elsword, don't be such a boy scout. We gotta do what it takes to win, even if that means breaking some rules.

"How are we gonna get away with that? They've got cameras everywhere."

"We'll make it look like an accident, and besides you don't have to worry about doing it."

"So, what do _I_ do?"

"You score."

"Lowe, you're acting kinda funny-ˮ

"Listen dammit – look, I know you're doing better than me in this game, so we're gonna use that to our advantage."

"Okay whatever you say," Elsword chuckled. "But I'm not going trying to get into any trouble."

"No need, Maverick and I will execute the plan, you just follow our lead. And don't let anyone notice anything suspicious, got it?"

"I think so."

"Good, now let's play some ball, our way."

All of the players got into position. The countdown for the 3rd quarter began and the crystal dropped onto the field. Elsword was able to get the first touch, but the defense showed no signs of worry. Elsword made his drive forward, but quickly turned around sent the ball back towards the Red Knights offensive support. The quick movement tripped up some of Hamel's midfield defenders. Now the Red Knights had a total of six offensive players pushing the crystal around instead of four. This of course was too much to handle for Hamel's midfield defense. It was up to Hamel's tanks in the back to stop them.

Chung was preparing his Aiming Shot, Lowe made a quick curved pass to Elsword. Before Chung could fire, Lowe dropped his weapon in front of Chung. Chung's attention was now averted and was unable to fire the Aiming Shot. Lowe completed the pass and racked up an assist as Elsword smashed the crystal into Hamel's goal.

This goal brought some life back to Red Knights fans. The Lakers' coaching staff was baffled; Chung's Aiming Shot never misses. Chung thought that the dropped weapon was an accident, so he picked it up and offered it back to Lowe before the next play.

"You dropped this." Chung said as he held out Lowe's great sword.

"Thanks kid. By the way, you wanna hear a joke?" Lowe asked as he retrieved his weapon.

"A joke? What's the joke?" Chung naively bought into it.

"Your Elball career." Lowe quipped.

"Huh?"

Lowe walked off and back into his position. Chung could only sit there and think, what he could possibly mean by that. He tried not to give it too much meaning as he did say it was a joke. But those words are reminiscent to those of his doubters when he began playing Elball.

This was only the first of Lowe's remarks to demoralize the Lakers. He and eventually Maverick spread insults across the entire team and sabotage their defense with shameless antics. The two ended up racking up a lot of fouls, but they ended up paying off in the end. The Red Knights were getting into their heads. Elsword didn't play a role in the banter, but with the Laker's defense faltering he was scoring goals. The Lakers goalkeeper found himself trying to block more shots than normal, tiring him out. The only players on the team that were still intact was Leo, and Chung. However, that changed towards the end of the 3rd quarter.

Leo took possession of the crystal in the next play and raced passed Elsword. Leo's signature skill, Shawku Weivu, ended its cooldown state. As Leo went forward to strike the crystal with it Lowe ran in front of the crystal and struck it as soon as Leo swung his blade. The result was a fierce blast that blew away both Leo and Lowe. The play continued however, and the crystal was flying overhead the Red Knights team. Maverick would be the one to strike the crystal next but he deliberately struck the crystal towards Leo. The crystal collided with Leo and knocked him out. The crowd went silent, and everyone on the Lakers nearly had heart attacks.

Lowe got back up after the blast and was still functional as a player, albeit a bit winded. Leo on the other hand was out of commission; he was out cold with a concussion. Maverick was charged with a flagrant and permanently ejected from the game. He laughed maniacally as he was escorted out of the field. He threw a thumbs up towards Lowe, and Lowe smiled. The plan was a success, but there was still one more thing to worry about; Chung.

The 3rd quarter ended and the Red Knights were surpassing the Lakers 5-6, the greatest comeback in EJL internationals history. Altocross lamented Maverick's actions but couldn't help but feel relieved that his team was able to get back into the game. He thought his improved formation strategy helped them push through the Lakers. Now the only thing his team had to do was use Hyperactive and seal the deal.

"Everyone, you're doing great, keep it up. All we have to do now is use hyperactive for the dagger." Altocross commanded.

His team diligently nodded and were eager to get out there again and put an end to the Lakers journey. Lowe nudged Elsword again, and shook his head. Elsword figured it had something to do with the hyperactive. At the start of the 4th quarter, hyperactive or HA for short, becomes available for use.

Elsword pulled Lowe to the sized for a moment and asked, "Why don't you want me to use HA right away?"

"Finally you asked. It's because that Seiker kid can probably block it," Lowe replied.

"What do you mean, block HA? That's impossible… right?" Elsword has never seen anyone block a hyperactive before.

"Yeah it's possible, only very few people have done it, and that Seiker kid has proven to be damn good at this game. We need to psych him out before we use HA. Trust me, that kid is an even bigger threat than their forward." Lowe warned.

Elsword thought about how to go through with the 4th quarter. He was conflicted; he could either test Lowe's theory about Chung's Elball prowess and go through with Altocross's original plan, or wait to use hyperactive at the right moment in support of Lowe. Elsword will end up upsetting one of them, and he wanted to win. Elsword then realized that Elball for him is about having fun, win or lose. Elsword was still indecisive nonetheless.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are struggling to put together a plan against the Red Knights. Horatio is normally against using hyperactives, but now they won't have a choice to bring the lead back.

"Alright Team, I don't know what happened to you out there, but this is unacceptable!" Horatio snapped. "Have all of you gone soft? Now we have no choice but to use HA. Use it as you get possession. We can't afford to dilly-dally. With Leo out of the game, we can't have a conservative offense. Defense, activate Tactical Field. Offense, activate Bullet Blitz. You all need to get angry now otherwise you'll be angry later when we lose to them!"

The Lakers were certainly depressed and even Chung was shaken by the fear of losing it all. Chung turned to look at his father who was not enjoying himself. The fear of failure burned in Chung's heart. How would his team look at him, the scouts, his opponents, his father? Chung was frightened and upset, and he could see the same emotion in the faces of his teammates, especially the goalkeeper. If the goalkeeper is scared, Chung has every right to be as well.

" _Is this it? I came all the way here just to fail… Why must it be this way?"_ Chung thought.

The two teams returned to the field for the 4th quarter. The two teams had no choice but to substitute in a bench warmer in place of Leo and Maverick, but the switch is certainly still in the Red Knights favor. Grim despair loomed over the Lakers, and the Red Knights were ready to go in for the kill. The countdown sounded off, the crystal dropped, and the 4th quarter began.

This time Lowe overextended himself to gain possession of the crystal to make sure Elsword doesn't ruin the plan and use HA right away despite telling him otherwise. Altocross was disappointed as he watched from the sidelines. Elsword knew Lowe was determined to sabotage the game further. Elsword finally decided that Lowe was doing the wrong thing, and went after him.

"Elsword, what are you doing?" Lowe saw Elsword hot on his trail.

Elsword battled with Lowe for possession of the crystal.

"I can't let you go off and ruin the game, you 're a cheater!" Elsword exclaimed as he battled for possession of the crystal.

"What the hell Elsword? Don't you wanna win? Fine, if you aren't with me you're against me!" Lowe pushed Elsword out of his way and contained the crystal.

With the crystal in his possession, Lowe rushed towards Chung. While attempting to strike the crystal, Lowe forced a foul on Chung by falling over after trying to get by him.

"Hey – what was that for?" Lowe exclaimed. "Ref, did you see that?" Lowe bargained with the referee. The referee flagged Chung with a foul, placing the Lakers at a defensive disadvantage.

"But I didn't do anything!" Chung pleaded.

"You're right, you didn't do anything – you can't do anything. You'll never be great in this game. I bet your parents wished they never had you," Lowe retorted.

Chung did nothing, he couldn't do anything. He dropped his cannon, and let a flurry of tears run down his face. His vision was obscure and stood still as everyone else got back into their positions to resume the game. All of the noise in the stadium became muffled as if time had slowed down. He collapsed to his knees and closed his eyes.

" _What if he's right? My Father never appreciated my work. Do I deserve to play Elball? Maybe I was never cut out for this. Do I even deserve to live? Everyone wants me to be perfect, but I'm such a letdown. I'm a loser."_ The once adamant White Wolf was now plagued with horrific, self-deprecating thoughts.

Chung was ready to just walk right off of the field, until he heard a voice. It sounded familiar, was it his father? His mother? No, it was his own.

" _You are stronger than that! All that practice, all that hard work – you really do matter! People are counting on you, but the only person you're letting down right now is yourself! You must show how strong you are! Will you let yourself be defeated?"_ the voice echoed and faded out into the stadium crowd that roared as the game resumed.

Chung snapped out of his trance and saw that the El crystal was rolling straight toward the goal. Chung flew toward the crystal's path and slammed his cannon into the ground.

" _NO!"_ A white flash enveloped around Chung. A blue energy wrapped around his Freiturnier and Destroyer like flames. His family's signature berserker mask covered his face. This was Chung's first instance of transforming.

The entire stadium went wild, even Helputt stood in awe. Now it was time to see what would happen next.

The ground slam from the cannon lifted the crystal just high enough to pass over the goal. The crystal went out of bounds in the Red Knights possession as Chung did not physically touch the crystal yet. This would turn the crystal over to the Lakers. At that moment, the Lakers would use all of their MP to hyperactive, bringing the score to 6-6.

Horatio and the Lakers bench got so excited they ran onto the field, but the Atlas Station security apprehended them. The White Wolf's true potential was revealed, and he was not just playing a game anymore.

The Red Knights get the crystal back, but as soon as Elsword or Lowe try to get the ball, Chung flies right out of position, fast his own forward, and contests their offense. Chung was dancing all over those two; they just couldn't contain the crystal. The Lakers offensive support used this time to move up the field and give Chung assistance. The offensive support helped cut some holes through the Red Knights' defense. Chung, who was like a relentless juggernaut, bulldozed through the Red Knights' tanks and fired off an Aiming Shot at the crystal. The crystal blasted right through the goal. The score now 7-6, was achieved by a tank, an unprecedented event in all of Elball.

Elsword was blown away by the sudden sequence of events. He needed to act fast in order to stop a formidable force like Chung. Unfortunately, Elsword didn't have the slightest clue, and after looking at Lowe, he didn't have one either. In fact, Lowe was frightened; he had no idea what he had just unearthed. Elsword would get some time to think, as Altocross called a time out.

The two teams took a quick break to strategize, Chung on the other hand stayed on the field staring directly at the Red Knight's goal. No one bothered to speak with Chung, not even his father.

"I am very disappointed in all of you. You did not heed my words. I asked you to use hyperactive as soon as possible, and now you let our lead slip away. We don't have much time left, so it seems like there isn't much we can do. And I'm not afraid to admit that. However, we must remain strong so that the El Lady shows us respect."

"Sir, yes sir!" The Red Knights chanted.

"Alright, let's give them a good show!" The Red Knights headed back into the field. "Not you Elsword, I need you for a minute."

"Sure, what's this all about?" Elsword inquired. He hoped it didn't mean he was going to get subbed out of the match.

"Were you trying to stop Lowe earlier?"

"Huh… y-yeah." Elsword stuttered.

"No need to get bent out of shape. I know he's the reason why we're in this mess. I'm glad you wanted to intervene."

"Yeah… I felt that I had to." Elsword agreed to take advantage of Altocross's admiration.

"So now we need to get serious. Do you remember that technique your sister taught you?"

"You mean you want me to…ˮ

"Yes, I want you to awaken!"

The ability to awaken is a sudden increase in power and potential. The ability to awaken is drawn from different sources. In Chung's case, it comes from his Freiturnier and his Destroyer. For Elsword, it's magic that rests within him. The only downside to awakening is that it only lasts for a limited time and can be stripped away if one takes substantial damage.

"But, I'm not ready yet."

"Then this will be the ultimate test of your strength."

"What if I can't control it."

"You will if it's the only thing you can do."

"Elsword, you must awaken to compete with them. And even if you fail, you have the experience. If you happen to lose control, I'll be there, and your sister too."

"Elesis…"

"Yes, your sister is here."

The single most inspirational person in Elsword's life was here tonight cheering him on. Now he really knew awakening was important. That's all that needed to be said for Elsword to head back on the field.

The game resumed and the Red Knights had possession of the crystal. Lowe was petrified by the White Wolf's terrifying berserk mode and refused to move. Elsword acted fast and awakened right on the spot. Elsword's body erupted into flames, but the flames calmed to a point where he could control it. By the time Elsword was ready to hit the crystal, Chung was already in his face.

Elsword reacted just in time to contain the crystal, but Chung was right on him. The two battled out on the field trying to contain the ball. They made the rest of their team look obsolete as they managed to dominate in every position on the field, regardless of their specialty; Elsword and Chung were two of a kind. As they continued to challenge each other, Elsword began moving faster than the ironclad White Wolf. As soon as Elsword created some space, he used his hyperactive, Gigantic Slash. With only a few more seconds left on the game clock, Elsword could tie this up and go into overtime. Chung's quick wits anticipated the move and initiated a low MP costing failsafe; Scare Chase.

The scare chase missile flew passed the crystal being propelled by the hyperactive. Everyone including Elsword had thought Chung had missed, until the missile redirected and knocked the crystal off its course. Elsword tried his hardest to try and knock the crystal back on target, but the clock hit 0 and crystal flew out of bounds. Elsword crashed and burned on the field. The Hamel Lakers became the EJL champions, defeating the Ruben Red Knights 7-6.

Elsword laid their defeated, with his skin scorched by the flames of his inner magic. He could feel the world fading away from him. But soon he would see a silhouette standing above him. It looked like it had long hair. The figure stretched out its hand, reaching for him.

"El…e…sis…?" Elsword muttered.

Elsword found the strength to reach up and grab the hand. As he was pulled up, it was revealed that it was Chung, still wearing his berserk mask. The mask retracted, the fire around him dissipated, and Chung gave him a welcoming smile.

"Good game." Chung stated.

Elsword violently shook his hand and laughed hysterically, "Ha-ha, well played!"

The EJL championship concluded with festivities and parades, celebrating the new winners. Elsword got to know Chung a bit more, and formally apologized for the Red Knight's desperate actions. and he was also able to introduce him to Elesis. Altocross praised Elsword's will to keep fighting and it certainly attracted the attention of recruiters. The Red Knights acted like they won the whole tournament, except for Lowe, who might not have a professional ELball career after all.

As for the Lakers, they were recognized as the most dominant EJL franchise in the world. Helputt personally congratulated his son and held him like he was infant. He's never been so proud of his son and it wasn't for winning, but for realizing his true strength.

Both Elsword and Chung would find out that their draft applications were accepted.


	5. Chapter 4: Combine & WEL Annual Draft

**Chapter 4: Draft Combine and Annual WEL Draft**

The Draft Combine is held in Elysion tower; the perfect place to test one's skills over the tower's grueling obstacle courses. The purpose of the Combine is to record the raw statistics of players going straight into the draft. This way it's easier to narrow down every player's attributes to see who's a more valued player on paper rather than in practice. There are several attribute categories to be looked at in the combine: agility, physical strength, magic strength, accuracy, and potential. These attributes are examined in drills such as scrimmages, speed tests, play replicas, and more.

The competition this year at the draft combine seemed to be no match for Elsword and Chung. They were smashing records and making statements. However, they were not the only breakout stars during the combine. There was Aisha, a young magician who everyone thought was going to dominate the league until an injury set her back a few years. Although she's not as strong as she used to be, she still has proven herself that she's a capable Elballer. She was a powerful mix of offense and support, making her a versatile pick for any team that already has a strong defense. Then there was Rena, a controversial player due to her age being unknown and her sudden mark into the Elball scene. She might be way older than people think she is, so they classified her purely on ability. Her skills in agility were second to none and was a well-rounded player, but seemed to be more useful as support over anything else. Nonetheless, she could fill any role, making her a valued prospect among underwhelming teams. They all knew what they were up against as all four of them were promising candidates to be the first draft pick. The following week, the annual draft picks had commenced.

Draft Champions is held in Elysion, and it's a ceremony hosted live across the world. WEL teams are to recruit new talent onto their teams to try and bring glory to their franchise, or keep the winning streak alive. Teams with poor performance in the previous season have the first picks whereas the most recent champions of the WEL have the last picks. There are several rounds in the draft where teams with open cap space can gather more than 1 player. Some teams opt out of their place to secure a later pick or sacrifice some of their placements for an earlier more valued pick. The Ruben Scouts were the worst performing team in the last season so they went up first.

The Ruben scouts managed to secure Elsword, Aisha, and Rena, as their first, second, and third pick of the night respectively, due to some persistent bargaining prior to the draft; the Scouts wanted to get some wins.

The Hamel Guardians scarified some of their veteran players and made some trades to give themselves an earlier pick despite being last season's runner up. The Guardians were able to pick up Chung, as Helputt would only have it that way.

Lowe would miss out for the draft entirely, but plans to make it there after the next season. However, he would be 18 years old, so he would have no choice but to try out for the WEL B league, which is just 1 step away from the professional circuit.

Leo recovered from his concussion and ended up being taken up by the Kalluso Chiefs, the up and coming best offensive team in Fluone.

Steely Steel of course was a valued prospect for the Lanox Blazers who finished 2nd last in previous season.

For news outside of the draft, there has been some drama circulating around the league:

The WEL will review the championship game between the Mercenaries and the Guardians due to suspected cheating from the Mercenaries star forward, Add.

Aren opts out of a four-year 50 billion ED contract from the Fahrmann Monks and is reportedly in talks with the Underworld Usurpers, locals are saying it's a stab in the back.

Raven, the star forward for the Velder Captains was found nearly dead in his mansion after a raid from a group of unnamed thugs, his fiancée, Seris, was killed in the attack. The assault was allegedly the result of the Captains losing the nationals game versus the Elder Mercenaries; this was the Captains greatest upset of the year as they were expected to go all the way. The Captains unknowing of his state, release Raven from the team. The Altera Nasods step in and take him up, free of charge.

The Kalluso Chiefs are making a name for themselves in Fluone as they claimed to have come up with the perfect offensive. Fans are eagerly awaiting this in practice as the Kalluso Chiefs have never won a championship yet.

A new age of Elball is upon us, with our new rising stars finally entering the WEL. Elsword and Chung, the two youngest in Elball history, will cause an uproar in the realm of Elball. Let's see how the fair in their rookie season.


End file.
